Washing machine



Mar. 3. 1925. n .1,528,682

J` P. MARTIN 'i WASHING MACHINE Filed OCT'. 51, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet l ,Z /2' mvENTaR.

Mar. 3, 1925. 1,528,682

l J. P. MARTIN i WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 51, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVETOR,

J. P. MARTIN WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 31, 1921 3 Sheetg-Sheet :5

- JNWNTUR.

Patented, Main., 3 1,925.

UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN P. MARTIN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

WASHING ivLAcHINE,

Application led October 31, 1921. Serial No. 511,723.

chilies, particularly washing machines for.

domestic use, of theltypein which the clothes are .washed by the action' ofA a vertically ifeciprocable invertedcup or cone.'

`According to the present invention, I provide a machinehaving an outer tub or tank and preferably provided with a removable pei'forate clot-lies container therein. The clothes aiewashed bythe action of a'vertically rcciprocable cone having means associated therewith' for varying the pressure inside the cone during the washing operation in such manne-r as to wash the clothes more'` efficiently, I believe, than machines of the same generaltype employing the `inverted cone or so-called vacuum cup. The cone or cup is preferably reciprocated through a'hinged top for the tub, and the operating mechanism for the cone and its associated parts arev preferably carried by the top or cover.

The primary objects of my invention are to provide a washing machine of the reciprocable cup or cone type having animproved cup orcone construction with means for varying the pressure therein at different positions and to provide an improved operating means therefor.

My invention may be readily understood bv reference to the accompanying drawings' which illustrate an embodiment of my invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with my yinvention; i f

Fig. 2 is a detailview showing a part of the cone operating mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a section through a portion of the machine showing the cone and its partsV in raised posit-ion;

Fig. "l is a vertical transverse section through Fig. l;

Fig-L15 is a `section on line V-V of Fic.

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing in section the top of the tub;

Fig. is a section on line VII-VII of Fig'. l, but on a larger scale; v n

Fig. 8 is a detaii showing a section on 'line viii-viii of rig. i;

Fig; 9 is a similar 4view on 'line IX-IX` of Fig. 4t;

Fig. 10 is a somewhat diagrammaticfview of a modiiication.` y

In the drawings, 5 represents A sheet metal or othei` suitable material hav! ing a bottoni (i which is suiilenwor,inclinedL towards a central outlet 7 leading intodraiii pipe 8 in which is valve or faucet '9.

' Thetub 5 is supportedin a l`frame of suit able construction, such as that shown, and

which comprises four verticalV channel irons l0 having their lower end portions yunited a tub` of by a spider, or horizontal franiell. On the lower ends of the vertical legs-10 aire castorsy l2. The upper ends ofthelegs 10 arcsecured to thetub 5. Rive'ted or bolted to two of the legs l() at the front of the nia` chine is a connecting frame member 13 which serves as a support for a wringer, as hereinafter described.

.2O jouriialled at 2l on the shaft 'lTQ This provides a` hinge for the top, so that it can be swung vertically to give access tothe iiiterior of the tub.

Within the tub 5 is a removable clothes tub or receptacleQQ, which is preferably formed 4of sheet metal. The lower part of the receptacle is cylindrical and is perforated over its entire area, as is also the bottoni 23. The upper part of the inner tub. or receptacle need not be perforated, and is preferably flared outwardly, as shown, its upper edge extending over the edge of the tub 5, as shown in Fig. 6. The cover 18,

against movement when the cover is closed. Extending through the cover i8 and the casting 19 is hollow shaft 25, the upper end S0 At each side of the tub and extending rear-v` there-fore, serves to hold the receptacle 22 Cil of which passes through a guide member 26 supported on depending legs 27. Legs 27 are bolted to uprights 28 on the casting 19. Extending parallel with shaft 25 are two guide rods 29, one at each side of the shaft, which have their lower end screwed or otherwise rigidly connected to the casting 19. Adjustably fixed to the shaft 25 is a cross head 30, having set screws or other means therein for fixing it to the shaft. The cross head has openings therein through which the guide rods 29 are slidably passed, and at the ends of the cross head are trunnions or pins to whch are pivotally connected links or connecting rods 31 and 31.

hotatably carried in bearings 32 in uprights 28 and in bearings 33 in uprights 34 are horizontal shafts 35 and 35, one being located at each side of the central vertical shaft 25. Shafts 35 and 35 have cranks 36 and 36 respectively, which are of the same length. These cranks 36 and 36 carry pins to which are connected the connecting rods 31 and 31 respectively. Connecting rods 31 and 31 are of the same length. Upon rotation of shafts 35 and 35, a reciproeable motion is transmitted to the vertical hollow shaft 25. For reasons hereinafter pointed out, shafts 35 and 35 rotate in opposite directions, but since the connecting rods 31 and 31 are of equal length, the shaft 25 can be reciprocated. Lubricant may be applied to the guide rods 29 to enable cross head 30 to slde more freely thereon.

Within the hollow shaft 25 and reciprocable relatively thereto is a shaft 46 which extends the length of shaft 25. Shaft 25 is slotted at 41 and surrounding the shaft 25 around the slotted portion thereof is a second cross head 42 which is also slidably guided on guide rods 29. rl`he cross head, as shown in Fig. 9, is provided with a transversely extending pin or bolt 43 which passes through slots 41 in the hollow shaft 25 and through an opening in the shaft 40.

A pitman or connecting rod 44 is connected with the pin 43. rl`he lower end of the connecting rod 44 is pivotally connected w'th a crank 45 on a shaft 46 journalled in bearings 47 and 43 in upright portions on the casting 19. Crank is longer than cranks 36 and 36 and is disposed in a plane at right angles thereto. ln order that the mechanism is sufficiently powerful and yetcompact, it is necessary that the circle through which the outer end of crank 45 moves intersects the path of travel of the cranks 36 and 36. Cranks 36 and 36 are so `arranged that when the end of crank 45 is at one of the noints of intersection. as in the position in Fig. 7, the two cranks 36 and 36 will be 130 degrees from each other, and the crank whose path of travel is being intersected will be 139 degrees from the point of intersection. As it is contemplated that the cranks be moved in synchronism and that cranks 36 and 36 revolve in opposite directions, the cranks 36 and 36 will always be removed 180 degrees from their respective points of intersection when the crank 45 is at the respective point of intersection, and collision is thereby avoided.

1s shown in F ig. 7, the end of crank arm 45 is in intersection with the path of crank 36, but crank 36 is turned so that its end is 180 degrees removed from this point. rThe end of crank 36', however, is at the point of intersection with the path of crank 45, but crank 45 is turned so that its end is away from this point. lVhen crank 45 has turned 180 degrees, the other cranks will also have turned through a half circle. Rotation of crank 45 effects a reciprocation of rod 40. Because the crank 45 is longer than cranks 36 and 36, the inner shaft will move relatively to the outer one.

For driving the cranks to reciprocate shafts 25 and 40, an electric motor 50, or other suitable source of power, is employed. lt is preferably mounted on the spider or horizontal frame 11. rlhe motor 50, through worm gearing 51, drives a horizontal shaft 52 supported in bearings 53. On each. end of the shaft are miter gears 54 and 55. Miter gear 54 meshes with gear 56 on vert-ical shaft 57 carried in bearings 58. The upper end of shaft 57 has a bevel gear 59 which meshes with a similar gear 60, which is loose on the shaft 17. A clutch of any simple construction is shown at 61 for connecting shaft 17 into driving relation with gear 60. Near each end of shaft 17 and keyed thereto are bevel gears 62 and 62. An inclined shaft 63 journalled at 64 in suitable bearings on the castings is provided near one side of the machine, and it has a bevel gear 65 meshing with gear 62 on its lower end and a gear wheel 66 meshing with gear wheel 67 on shaft 35 on its upper end. On the other side of the machine is a similar arrangement of mechanism for driving shaft 35 and comprising inclined shaft 63 in journals 64 having gear wheels 65 and 66 thereon. the latter meshing with gear wheel 6.7 on shaft 35. rIhis arrangement of gearing, as shown in Fig. 7, will drive the shafts 35 and 35 in opposite directions, gear 67 being reversed to gear 67.

Fixed to the shaft 17 is another bevel gear 63 and at 69 is a short vertical shaft having a gear 70 at its lower end meshing with gear 68. rlhe upper' end of shaft 69 has a miter gear 71 coacting with a similar gear 72 on the end of the horizontal shaft 46 which carries crank 45.

lith the arrangementof gears as shown, the operation of the cranks can be readily controlled through clutch 61 without stopping the motor 50. The top of the tub may be swung through an are vertically to open 1,52f se Secured-to thel cylinder 7 6 between vthe ends" thereof is an inverted cone shaped cup 77..

A137 8 is a perforated vdislr which surrounds' the ,outside of cylinder' 7 G and connects to they inside 'of cone 77and which serves to more rigidly secure the cup iii position-,the cup or cone being-relatively large. The cylinder-76 above the top offthe coneis perforated, anr annularf series ,of perfo'rations being indicatedat 79. `Similarperfoi'fations are provided at 8O below the pointwhere the cone attaches. kThebottom of the cylinder is preferablyfclosed` by aperforated ycap 81 screwed to the bottom thereof.

Within thecylinder is a plunger-or piston 82 which is rigidlycarried on the vend of shaft'40.- -As shownin Fig. l1, the piston is atpits lowermostv position -in the cylinder 76 when the ycone 7 7 is in its lowerinost position in the tub As thecylinder 76 and cone 77 rise, pistoni82 risesl also but atta greater rate of speed and a greater distance, owing to thecranke being largerthan crank 3G and 3G', until the'piston is iiithe Vtop of the cylinder, when the cone is in its uppermost position as shown in Fig. 3.'

alsobe driven from themotor 50.- For this purpose, mitergear isprovided on shaft 52. `The miter gear 'meshes` with two ini-ter gear wheels 85 and 85 loosely carried on a vertical shaft 86 journalled in bearings 87 at its lower end and journalled at its upper end in bearings 88 in the `frame member 18 hereinbefore described. Aclutch is provided at 89, which clutch has a neutral position anda position for engagement with each of gears 85 and 85, so that the shaftI 86 can be driven in opposite directions.V

The wringer is designated at 9() and is of any known or preferred construction, and is mounted to swing about shaft 86 to diffe-rent positions relatively to the tub, as shown.

In operation, the ylid or cover 18 is opened and the clothes are placed inthe perforated receptacle 22. As .the machine will sometimes stop with the washing element or cone in its lower-most position, in which position the tub cannot be swung open, a crank 91 is provided at one end of shaft 17 for rotating it by hand. The crank preferably turns the shaft 17 through a ratchet 92 Vin such manner that the crank need not. rotate when the machine-is operating. v

After placing the clothes in the receptacle and filling the tub partly full of soapyl water, the lid is closed, and the motor It is contemplated that a clothes wriiigerr started. Clutch 61 is shiftedftodrivethe various cranks, 36,36', and 45 through the gearing hereinbefore described. Such motion of `the cranks recip'rocate's the shafts 25 Y and L10, moving the respective eleme-ntsfcar# ried thereby. Assuming that the cranks 36 y and 36 Vare fourinches long, cylinder 7 6 and cone 77 will move eight inches; and if crank 45 is six inches long, plunger or piston 82 movest'welve inches, or has a movementl relatively to the cylinder of four inches.

lVhennthe cone Vis in its uppermost iposition, as hereinbefore stated, the top of the cylinder176` should be above theywater a few inches and ports 79 open to tlie'atmosphere'. The bottom of the cone should, however, be under or at the surface vof the water. is the soY cone descends,.jplunger 82 descends,"eom

pressing the air in cylinder 7 6 and forcing it out openings into the 'cone through perforations in disk 78, and through the bottom of the cylinder. n Some of the air will escape' around the edge :of the cone. thus rmaintained full of air 'under pressure during the greater portionof its downward movement, and the air inthe cone, as well The cone is as the edges of the coneact to force or o squeeze the clothes against the bottom of the inner tub or receptacle, and vto squeeze 'the water out of the clothes. lJ ust theinstant, however, before the cone reaches its lower most position, the piston 82 will move past ports 8() and relieve the pressure in the cone, and atmospheric pressure will momentarily be restored. This pressure will be maintained for the instant the cone is inthe lowest position. Then, as it starts to move upwardly, the piston 82 also moves upward,

closing ports 80Y from communication with the atmosphere and cre-ating a suction or decrease in pressurein the cone.

The suction of the cone on the clothes tends to lift them away from the bottom of the inner tub or perforated receptacle, at the same time causing the water to be drawn back into the lowery part of the'perforated receptacle and through and into the clothes. The action is, therefore, in my opinion much more efficient than in the type of machine heretofore made using inverted cones or cups f in which the pressure remained the saine,

the cups merely moving up and'down in the tub, serving to pack the clothes down more or less, but not lifting them away from the bottom of the tub. When the piston 82 has of the washing element, therefore, isk to through the clothes, and keep them from Vsion and suction creating means. The action `force the water and air back and forth packing. Lubricant need only be applied to the Uuide rods 29, and, therefore, shaft 25 can be kept free of grease and dirt.

In Fig. 10 I have shown a modication which is especially adapted for use in hand washers where mechanism ol the type just described is not practical. ln this ligure, indicates an inverted hollow cup or cone carried on a vertically reciprocable rod 101. 'lhe upper end of rod 101 is slidably passed through a vertically movable cross head 102, and has a nut or head 103 at it upper end. Carried on shaft 101 is a washer or abutment 104, and interposed between the abutment and the cross head is a relatively stiff compression spring 105. Carried by the cone 100 is a cylinder 10G having its upper and lower ends open. .ln the lower part or" the cylinder is a check valve 10T that opens outwardly. At 108 is a valve that opens inwardly and attached te valve 108 is a vertical rod 109 guided in an arm 110 on shaft 101 and normally urged up-.\.'ardly to maintain the valve seated by springl 111. The upper end or' rod 109 terminates a short distance below cross head 102.

ln operation, vertical movement oit cross head 102 serves to reciprocate rod 101 and cone 100, downward movement beingtransmitted through spring 105, which normally allows oit' no relative movement between 'the cross head and shaft. As the cone 1.01 is forced down into the water, the air contained therein is trapped and compressed to press against the clothes in the receptacle in which the washer operates. lWhen the cone nears the bottom o1 the tub, however, it encounters the resistance offered by the clothes or the bottom oi the receptacle, and cross head 102 compresses spring 105, moving relatively to shaft 101. A slight relative movement ol cross head 102 allows it to push down on rod 109 to open valve 108 to thereby open the cone to atmospheric pressure, and permit the water to seek its level in the cone. Upon the upward movement of cross head 102, rod 109 moves up, due to the action of spring 11.1. seating valve108. On the upward movement of cone 101, chec i valve 10i' closes and the cone is then sealed against atmospheric pressure, and the water is sucked up with the cone. ,Vhen the cone emerges from the water, any water held there-in by suction drops down. rlhe same results, therefore, are obtained by this construction as by the motor driven mechanism herinbefore described, but the action is not so eliicient.

Obviously, various other valve actuating mechanisms might be used and the construction shown in Fig. 9 might also be used in a motor driven device.

Various changes in the construction and arrangen'ient of parts may be made in the invention within the scope ot the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. A washing machine including a tub, a washing element in the tub comprising a vertically reciprocable inverted hollow body, and means coacting therewith for increasing the air pressure in the body on its downward movement and for drawing air out of the body on its upward movement and for restoring atmospheric pressure at the extremities ot each movement.

washing machine including a tub, a washing element reciproeable vertically within the tub and comprising an inverted cup member and a cylinder projecting` into the cup member, said cylinder having a port communicating with the interior oi the cup member and one above said cup member comnmnicating with the atmosphere, a plunger in said cylinder movable past the ports arranged to vary the pressure within the cup member, and means lor ell'ecting the operation ol' the cup member and plunger.

3. A washing machine including a tub, a washing element reciprocable within the tub and con'iprising an inverted cup, means 'tor reciprocating the cup. a cylinder in the cup communicating with the cup, a piston in the cylinder, and other mechanical power operated means i'or operating' the piston.

A washing machine including a tub, a

hollow shaft Xtending into the tub, a cylinder on the hollow shaft, an inverted cup into which the cylinder projects, a piston in the cylinder, a second shaft with said hollow shat't on which the piston is carried, means 'for reciprocating the hollow shaft, and means for reciprocating the second shaft relatively thereto to ellect a pun'iping action or' the piston in the cylinder.

5. A washing machine comprising a supporting frame, a tub within the supporting` trame, a hinged cover for the tub arranged to be opened and closed7 a shaft passing through the cover and having an invrted cup at its lower end, pumping means communicating with the cup through passages for increasing the pressure in the cup on its downward stroke and for decreasing' the pressure in the cup during its upward stroke, and operating n'iechanism on the cover i'or reciprocating the shalft and means for operating the pumping means.

(S. i washing machine comprising a supporting frame, a tub within the supporting trame, a hinged cover lior the tub arranged to be opened and closed, a shaft passing through the cover and having an inverted cup at its lower end, means ir'or increasing the pressure in the cup on its downward stroke, means for decreasingl the pressure in the cup during its upward stroke, operating mechanism on the cover for reciprocating the shaft and the pressure varying' means, a driving motor on the frame, and gearing between the motor and operating mechanism for driving the latter, said gearing being so arranged as to permit of the opening and closing of the tub.

7. A washing machine comprising a frame, a tub on the frame, a hinged cover for the tub arranged to be opened and closed, a hollow shaft extending through the cover, a cylinder and inverted cup at the lower end thereof, a crank mechanism on the cover for reciprocating the hollow shaft, a second shaft inside the hollow shaft, a piston on the lower end thereof and within said cylinder, a second crank mechanism for driving the second shaft in such manner as to effect a relative movement between the cylinder and piston, and means for driving said crank mechanism.

8. A washing machine comprising a frame, a tub on the frame, a hinged cover for the tub arranged to be opened and closed, a hollow shaft extending through the cover, a cylinder and inverted cup at the lower end thereof, guide rods on the top of the cover at the sides of the shaft, a cross head on the hollow shaft guided kon the rods, a crank mechanism on lthe cover for transmitting a reciprocable movement to the hollow shaft through the cross head, a second shaft inside the hollow shaft, a piston the lower end thereof within the cylinder, a second cross head slidable on the guide rods having a connection with said second shaft through slots in the hollow shaft, a second crank mechanism on the cover for effecting the reciprocation of the second shaft through said cross head to effect a movement of the piston relatively to the cylinder while the latter is being reciprocated, and means for driving said crank mechanism.

9. A washing machine comprising a frame, tub on the frame, a hinged cover for t-he tub arranged to be opened and closed, a hollow shaft extending through the cover, a cylinder and inverted cup at the lower end thereof, a crank mechanism on the cover for reciprocating the hollow shaft, a second shaft inside the hollow shaft, a piston on the lower end thereof and within said cylinder, asecond crank mechanism for driving the second shaft in such manner as to effect a relative movement between the cylinder and piston, a motor for driving said crank mechanisms, and a supplemental hand operated driving means for moving the parts to position to enable the cover to be opened.

l0. A washing machine comprising a tub, a washing element reciprocable within the tub and comprising an inverted hollow cup, means for effecting the reciprocation thereof, and pump means communicating with the cup through ports and with the atmosphere through another series of ports for creating a pressure above atmospheric pressure in the cup during the downward movement thereof and for restoring atmospheric pressure when the hollow cup is in its lowermost position, said means also creating a suction therein during its upward movement and restoring atn'iospheric pressure when the hollow cup has reached its uppermost position. i

ll. A. washing device comprising an inverted hollow cup adapted to be reciprocated in a tub, means by which the hollow cup may be reciproca-ted, and a valve means for closing said hollow cup against the escape of air therefrom during a portion of its downward movement and for permitting the escape of air therefrom when it is at its downward limit, the valve means also acting to prevent the entrance of air into the cup when immersed and during a portion of its upward movement.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiX my signature.

JOHN P. MARTIN. 

